Summary
- A theory suggests Jayne Cobb was almost a Reaver, escaping this fate due to his family moving from Miranda's moon of Caliban.
- Jayne's connection to Miranda adds depth, explaining his humanity amidst his tough exterior.
- Jayne's potential as a Reaver affects his character development, creating a tragic link to Firefly's storyline.
A box-office bomb) Serenity eventually delved into their origins, revealing they were the result of the Alliance's experiments.
The secrets behind them — and River's unwitting awareness of them — serve as the secret motivation behind the galaxy-wide search for the young woman. However, a fan theory about the show suggests that there was another member of the crew with a connection to that conspiracy. The theory could explain the backstory of one of the show's most popular characters, while also serving as a clever way to explain some of the qualities that differentiate them from the rest of Firefly's characters (and would make an interesting overt addition to any Firefly revival.)
This Firefly Theory Suggests Jayne Was Almost A Reaver
An interesting theory about the world of Firefly suggests that Jayne Cobb was actually almost a Reaver. Posted to Reddit, the theory suggests that Jayne originally hailed from Caliban, one of the moons surrounding the planet Miranda. Miranda was eventually revealed in Serenity to be the test site of a new process meant to control people's emotions. However, this experiment backfired, effectively killing most of the population while transforming the survivors into the first Reavers.
The theory suggests that Jayne and his family barely escaped being among those impacted by the Alliance's efforts. This is either because they moved away shortly before the event in question, or were successfully evacuated by the Alliance as part of their efforts to erase the events that happened on Miranda from public knowledge. The former idea seems more likely in retrospect thanks to tie-in novels, which suggest Jayne's family lives on a planet known as Sycorax. However, it remains an interesting new way to look at Jayne.
Firefly is now streaming on Hulu.
Why Jayne Almost Becoming A Reaver Makes Sense
The theory about how Jayne almost became a Reaver makes sense within the world of Firefly. For Jayne, it introduces some interesting wrinkles to his history during Firefly's Unification War. The theory suggests that his connection to Miranda remains a secret because of the Alliance brainwashed the information out of any potential witnesses, including Jayne. This would make sense in-universe, given the manipulative actions taken by the Alliance. It could also explain why he prides himself on his remaining family connections (as seen when he proudly wears a family-made hat), as any other relatives may have perished in the process..
The Alliance brainwashing could explain why he believes his family is from Sycorax. Potential exposure to the Reavers that he can't fully may have helped shape Jayne's morality, which is far more ambiguous and flexible than the rest of the Firefly crew. The theory also notes that psychics like River would likely avoid probing Jayne's mind for any secret information like that, due to his surface-level perverse thoughts and feelings. This would have kept her from realizing the connection between Jayne and Miranda, unwittingly maintaining that secret.
The Jayne/Reaver Theory Improves The Firefly Character
More than anything, the theory that Jayne almost became a Reaver adds a lot of layers to the character. In Firefly and the subsequent film Serenity, Jayne establishes himself as a tough guy with little concern for others. However, this theory hints that his current form is the best-case scenario for Jayne, as he could have easily become one of the monstrous killers the crew encounters. While Jayne may be driven by impulse and desire, he retains his humanity. Episodes like "Jaynestown" take on new meaning with the thought that his humanity was almost snuffed out by the Alliance.
In Serenity, Jayne notes that he can't understand why Reavers can exist as they do. The idea that he almost became one gives this proclamation an ironic edge. Jayne is shown to fear little, but the Reavers do seem to unsettle him. The idea that even subconsciously he recognizes why they're so terrifying adds layers to that fear, highlighting how Jayne still retains a clear humanity despite his harsh edges. This theory about Jayne from Firefly is an interesting addition to the universe and gives Jayne a secretly tragic connection to one of the franchise's most important revelations.
Source: Reddit
Firefly
- Release Date
- 2002 - 2003-00-00
- Showrunner
- Joss Whedon
- Directors
- Joss Whedon
Cast
Ron Glass
WHERE TO WATCH
Set in the year 2517, Firefly follows the crew of the Serenity, a smuggling ship operating on the fringes of Alliance space. Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) is a veteran of a civil war, bitter about having fought for the losing side and now making his living as an outlaw smuggler out among the distant colonies forgotten and ignored by the Alliance. However, after taking on paying engers, Mal finds himself caught up in a conspiracy likely to bring the whole Alliance military down on him and his crew.
- Writers
- Joss Whedon
- Seasons
- 1
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu, Dis
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